Ibdaa 2026 Students Compete To Represent Saudi Arabia In International Competitions

The 16th Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair is set to open next Sunday, bringing together student innovators at the Princess Nouf bint Abdulaziz International Conference Center. The event, organised by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) with strategic support from the Ministry of Education, will continue until January 29.

The fair hosts 200 student scientific projects drawn from 22 fields, representing work by participants who advanced from the central exhibition phase. This edition forms the fifth stage of the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity "Ibdaa 2026," which targets general education students across the Kingdom.

The showcased projects were chosen from more than 34,000 entries submitted to the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity "Ibdaa 2026." This selection process aims to identify promising research ideas and encourage students to develop projects with scientific foundations, analytical methods and clear outcomes that can be evaluated by specialist judges.

A total of 68 male and female winners from the Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair will secure places to represent Saudi Arabia at regional and international events. These include the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in the United States, ITEX in Malaysia and TAISEF in Taiwan, giving students exposure to wider scientific communities.

The Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair programme includes workshops, scientific and educational lectures, and awareness pavilions set up by Mawhiba and several knowledge partners. These activities aim to enrich the visitor experience, highlight national programmes that support giftedness and creativity, and strengthen public understanding of research, innovation and their practical applications.

"Ibdaa 2026" is presented as a continuation of joint efforts by Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education to support talent and innovation and strengthen the culture of scientific research among general education students, contributing to the preparation of a national generation capable of supporting the knowledge economy and achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

With inputs from SPA